Former President Jacob Zuma walks out of Court at the Durban High Court where he made a brief appearance on 16 charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering. Image: JACKIE CLAUSEN

It hasn’t been a very good day for former president Jacob Zuma.

Hours after Zuma appeared in the Durban High Court on corruption charges‚ lawyers for President Cyril Ramaphosa officially withdrew his office’s appeal against the State Capture judgment – and made it clear that Zuma will have to fight the estimated R10-million personal costs order made against him on his own.

“Take further notice that with regards to the appeal on the issue of the punitive costs‚ the current President is not liable in that the punitive costs were against the former President in his personal capacity and as such we do not purport to act on the former President’s behalf in this notice.”

The North Gauteng High Court ordered Zuma to personally foot the bill in his aborted bid to block the release of then Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s State of Capture report‚ and his failed bid to review it. Three judges slammed his legal challenges as “ill-advised and reckless”.

Zuma’s lawyers have yet to indicate whether he will fight the costs order in his personal capacity‚ and if so‚ whether he will be entitled to state legal funding for that challenge. The state’s continued funding of Zuma’s legal fees in his corruption trial is currently being challenged by the Democratic Alliance.